Respected Star Wars actor Ian McDiarmid, who will read Powell’s words on radio, said last year he had initially dismissed Powell as a “horrible racist”, but was impressed by his “intellectual rigour” after learning more about his life.

Headmaster’s son John Enoch Powell was born in Stechford, Birmingham, in June 1912.

Nicknamed The Professor by the age of three, he later liked to learn a language every year, mastering Urdu, Russian and Welsh.

Aged 25, he became the youngest professor in the then British Empire and in World War Two he was the only British soldier to rise from private to brigadier.

A Eurosceptic free marketeer, he was elected as a Tory MP for Wolverhampton South West in 1950.

In 1959 he made a famous Commons speech in defence of the rights of 11 Kenyan Mau Mau insurgents killed in a British detention camp.

Then, in 1967, race relations in Britain burst to the fore in Powell’s own constituency.

Bus driver Tarsem Singh Sandhu, 23, turned up for work one day wearing a turban as a mark of his Sikh faith — and was sent home for inappropriate dress.

More than 5,000 Sikhs from across Britain headed to Wolverhampton to protest.

Thousands also marched in India.

5

Tory MEP Daniel Hannan said: 'Powell was right about Europe and he was right about the free economy'

A Kenyan Sikh activist vowed to set himself on fire unless the turban ban was lifted.

It was amid this febrile atmosphere that Powell decided to speak.

On April 20, 1968, at the Burlington Hotel in New Street, Birmingham, Powell gave the speech to a handful of people and a camera crew from local station ATV.

He argued against the proposed Race Relations Act, which made it illegal to refuse housing, employment or public services to someone on the grounds of race.

Powell said the bill would allow “divisive elements to flourish”.

Powell also told the story of a pensioner who he said was the only white person left on her street.

He said: “She is becoming afraid to go out.

"Windows are broken.

"When she goes to the shops, she is followed by children, charming, wide-grinning piccaninnies.

"They cannot speak English, but one word they know.

‘Racialist’, they chant.”

Many agreed with Powell’s sentiments.

Three days later, 1,000 dockers marched in London with banners saying: “Enoch here, Enoch there, we want Enoch everywhere.”

MOST READ IN NEWS

Exclusive

DAMAGES FIGHT

Victims of two vile football paedos suing Scots clubs they were linked to

Exclusive

CASUAL GEAR REVIVAL

Old Firm fans fans snap up over 1,000 retro Benetton rugby tops

SUCKER PUNCH

Councillor's son 'yob who punched OAP from behind at Glasgow Republican march'